Red gold of Mediterranean
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Precious Red Coral Is Considered The Mediterranenan Gold
Nature of Coral
Magic and Simbolysm
In ancient times, coral was considered a magic stone. According to Ovid (Metamorphoses, IV, 740-752) red coral came from Medusa's blood when Perseus beheaded her. When blood entered in contact with air and sea, it turned the seaweed into coral. The Romans believed that it could protect men from harm. For Christians, instead, coral was Christ's blood and it was considered a powerful amulet against demons and bad luck. Still today, coral horns are regarded as lucky charm talismans.
Superstitious?
Mineral, Plant or Animal?
At the begininng, naturalists thought it was a mineral, then a plant. Only in the first half of the eighteenth century, the french doctor Peyssonel classified coral as a sea animal. He was totally right. As a matter of fact, it is a group of small colonies of polyps (coelenterate anthozoa) secreting calcium carbonate's crystals, a corneous material which forms a sort of a rigid skeleton in which these polyps live in, all connected to each other. Mediterranean red coral (Corallium Rubrum) is certainly the most precious. It usually grows on rocky seabottom with low sedimentation, typically in dark environments at depths from -10 to -300 mt. Its coloration goes from pink to dark red. Great Stuff on Amazon
Go fishing
Arabs, of course!
Coral fishing was introduced by the Arabs when all the north-african coast fell under the rule of the Muslims in 698 AD. Usually they used a big boat slowly sweeping away, sometimes up to 150 meters deep, a huge wooden cross, weighed down by stones. This cross held one or more hemp nets which got entangled in the seabed, to uproot coral shrubs. This tool was called "ordegno" or "ingegno" (device).
Trapani's craftsmen
A little bit of history
In Trapani, coral's manufacturing started in the first half of the fifteenth century. It was Antonio Ciminello the first who used the burin (cold chisel) to engrave coral. Its working was centered almost entirely in the hands of the Jews artisans. But in 1492 with an edict, Ferdinand II of Aragon expelled them and many great craftsmen moved to Naples. In this way the activity was paralysed. Some years later, the banker Gian Battista Fardella led some Jews to Christian conversion, and the art of coral resumed with great benefits for the local economy. The heyday of this art was recorded in 1700 when production reached its maximum level. More than 20 workshops were created, all gathered in one street: Via dei Corallai. From 16th to 18th century some works of exquisite make were created especially for kings, princes, cardinals and popes. Production mainly consisted of objects such as chalices, saint statuettes, cribs, jewels and decorative objects. Some of them are collected in the Pepoli Museum which is housed in a fourteenth-century former convent. Let's watch some of them! Artworks
Here there are some of the most beautiful and astonishing works made by artisans from Trapani.
The Coral Mountain
A partially revealed mystery
Only in the nineteenth century it was found a dusty document in the Public Records Office which at last proves the existence of one of the greatest masterpieces of Trapani's craft. We are talking about the Coral Mountain. It was purchased at a high price in 1570 in Trapani by the Viceroy of Sicily Don Francesco Ferdinando Avalos de Aquino in order to send it to Philip II of Spain as a gift. it had to be made of 90 figures telling about the life of Christ and the Holy Virgin. After it left the port of Trapani, it sank into oblivion. Perhaps it still remains preserved in the depths of the sea because of a violent storm. Welcome to the neighbourhood
A new discovery in the Mediterranean sea.
Leave a comment
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SheilaMilne May 23, 2012 @ 11:23 am | delete
- Until now, I didn't know there was coral in the Mediterranean.
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AlleyCatLane
Mar 12, 2012 @ 3:11 pm | delete
- Fascinating and well written.
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LiteraryMind
Feb 26, 2012 @ 10:47 am | delete
- Very interesting and nicely done.
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SereneSea Feb 17, 2012 @ 11:07 am | delete
- Great images, loved the introductory description.
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PeterStreep
Feb 14, 2012 @ 4:55 am | delete
- wow, great lens, learned something today.. never heard about the red coral. beautiful
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by Mauhro
I worked as an accounter for 12 years. Now i am studying and working in the tourism field. I am very interested in every historical, artistic and natu... more »
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Amazon Spotlight Personal Review
Red Gold. Extreme diving and the plunder of Red Coral in the Mediterranean.
Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 06/04/2012)
